Dramatherapy
Rooted in story and embodiment, I nurture healing through creative, trauma-informed dramatherapy.
What is Dramatherapy?
Dramatherapy is a creative form of Psychotherapy.
The British Association of Dramatherapists (BADth) defines dramatherapy as a form of psychological therapy that uses the arts and performance-based methods within the therapeutic relationship to support exploration, expression, and change.
This creative, embodied process gives equal validity to body and mind within the therapeutic context and offers indirect ways of working that can help people address experiences that may be difficult to access through words alone.
Who is Dramatherapy Helpful For?
Dramatherapy can be helpful for people seeking support with a range of emotional, relational, or life experiences. Some people come to therapy knowing what they want to work with; others arrive with a sense that something needs attention but is hard to name. Dramatherapy offers flexible ways of exploring experience, at a pace that feels safe and appropriate.
Alongside clinical therapy, I also offer reflective and wellbeing-focused support for artists and creative practitioners, informed by my therapeutic training.
If you are curious about whether dramatherapy might be right for you, you are very welcome to get in touch to explore this further.
My Approach
I work with individuals and groups, offering a therapeutic space that is attentive, contained, and responsive to each person’s needs. My practice is informed by story, embodiment, and imagination, and grounded in ethical, relational care. I pay close attention to pacing, consent, and choice, recognising that safety and trust within the therapeutic relationship are central to meaningful change.
My work is trauma-informed, affirmative, and inclusive. I work with awareness of how trauma can live in the body, emotions, and imagination, and support clients to engage in ways that feel manageable, respectful, and supportive of their nervous system.
Experience and Background
I am a Derby-based HCPC registered Dramatherapist and graduated from the University of Derby with an MA in Dramatherapy in 2025. I bring over 29 years’ professional experience across theatre, health, education, and social care contexts.
I have worked as a dramatherapist within Derbyshire NHS Drug and Alcohol Services, and I currently work across schools, community, and private settings. This includes working with children and young people, looked-after children, and within therapeutic Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programmes with ID Derby,I am also a freelance dramatherapist with Catharsis Creative Arts Therapy.
Alongside clinical practice, I have developed and delivered nationally funded workshops and therapeutic theatre projects.
Therapies offered
Using drama and Psychotherapy to gently explore personal journeys.
In-person therapy
I provide one-to-one dramatherapy in Derby.
In sessions, we can draw on a variety of creative approaches that are adapted to suit you. These may involve storytelling, myth, artistic expression, writing, character exploration, role play, movement, ritual, guided imagery, symbolic play, and projection. You don’t need any previous experience in drama or therapy.
We can also talk in the style of traditional psychotherapy.
Sessions are 50 minutes, weekly or fortnightly.
Standard fee £70.
Currently availability: Limited availability Monday afternoons
Video call therapy
Whether you’re based further away or feel more at ease at home, working online doesn’t mean losing creativity or a sense of embodied connection. Sessions make use of your own materials, digital tools, the body, and imagination to support a rich and meaningful therapeutic process, wherever you are.
Sessions last 50 minutes and take place either weekly or every two weeks.
Standard fee: £70. Current availability: Tuesday and Friday mornings.
Email therapy
Email therapy offers a flexible approach that doesn’t rely on real-time interaction, giving you space to reflect and work through your thoughts at your own pace. It can be particularly supportive if your schedule varies, you find live conversations draining, or you feel most comfortable expressing yourself through writing.
This service is arranged in blocks. Each block includes one email from you and a response from me within 72 hours. My reply will include a therapeutic reflection along with a personalised creative exercise to support deeper exploration.
I use ProtonMail, an end-to-end encrypted service, to help protect your privacy and confidentiality.
Standard fee: £350 block of 5, £600 block of 10 (payment plans available)
Partners (couples) therapy
Partners dramatherapy offers a creative and supportive space for two to three people to explore their relationship, whether romantic or platonic. You may feel stuck in recurring patterns or find it difficult to express yourselves openly with one another.
Moving beyond conversation alone, dramatherapy uses creativity, metaphor, and play to gently explore how you relate. This process can deepen understanding of communication patterns, strengthen emotional connection, and support a more authentic and aligned way of being together.
Sessions are 60 minutes, weekly or fortnightly.
Standard fee £85.
Current availability: Tuesday
Client reviews
Discover what our clients think about our service
“Working with Shane helped me connect to parts of myself I hadn’t been able to access before. Their approach is gentle, respectful, and deeply supportive.”
“Shane held the space with such care and sensitivity. I felt supported to explore things at my own pace, and came away feeling more grounded and with a greater sense of self.”